sutherland



A. M. SUTHERLAND. Stylographio Fountain Pen.

No. 231,690. Patented'Aug. 31,1880.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D. C"

follower.

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

STYLOGRAPHIC FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,690, dated August 31, 1880. Application filed September 3, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER M. SUTHER- LAND, now residing in New York city, New York, but a citizen of Toronto, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Stylographic Fountain-Pens; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

This invention has relation to stylographic fountain-pens; and it consists in certain novel construction and arrangement of the valve or mechanism for automatically governing the flow of ink from the pen in the act of writing.

In the drawing is represented a central longitudinal sectional view of the writing end or portion of a stylographic fountain-pen with my improvement attached in position thereto.

A is the ink-tube; B, the air-tube, of the usual or any appropriate construction. G is the device for governing the flow of ink from the pen in the act of writing, which I term a needle-valve. Said needle-valve is made tapering and of such relative size at its point in relation to the bore of the delivery-tube of the pen within which it fits as to effectually close the same when down in place, yet to leave suffioient space around it for the escape of ink when pushed back in the act of writing.

1 is a cylindrical tube or cylinder, closed at its lower end, and provided with an internal screw-thread. Through the closed end of this tube 1 is bored a small hole, 2, of slightly greater diameter than the size of the needlevalve, so as to give the needle-valve, when in position in the same, a slight lateral play or oscillation.

3 is a spring, and 4 a screw-headed plug or The needle-valve O is constructed with an enlargement or head, 0, of sufficient size to give proper bearing-surfaceto the spring. 0 is a projection or stop secured to the needle at a proper distance from the end of the tube 1, so as to limit the "backward movement of said needle-valve.

It will thus be seen that the needle-valve, by reason of its fitting loosely in the opening in the tube 1, has a limited universal movement in all directions.

The stop a is affixed on the needle-valve at such a relative distance from the end of the tube 1 that when the needle-valve is pushed back in the act of writing its end will be even or flush with the outside edge or end of the inkdelivery tube or \vritingpoint. Thus an almost solid writing-point is presented to the paper, instead of a hollow point, as heretofore, where no stops are formed to limit the movement of the needle as it comes flush with the end of the pen. Thereforeasharp indentation is made in the paper, and the entrance of dust, fiber of the paper, &c., into thewritin g end or deliverytube of the pen is prevented.

On the end of the air-tube is cut a screwthread, and upon this the tube 1, containing the valve mechanism, is received. Thus the parts are held in proper position. In the process of constructing and uniting these parts in one structure I proceed as follows: The tube 1 is first formed of the same or slightly greater diameter than the air-tube, with one end closed and the other open, with screw-thread on its inside. A small flaring hole is then drilled through the center of the closed end. Through this hole is then dropped the needle-valve, which had previously been provided with a slight enlargement or head. The coiled or spiral spring is then dropped down into the tube and rests upon the head ofthe needle-valve. The screw-follower is now run in until brought to bear with the proper tension upon the spring. To prevent the needle-valve being shoved back too far within the delivery-tube or Writingpoint, and to limit the movement of the same, the stop is now secured to the needle in the exact position necessary. The whole is then screwed upon the end of the air-tube, when the parts are all in position for use.

The advantages of this improvement over the form of pen employing the weighted valvehead or spindle-carrier are, that it is simpler of construction, therefore cheaper the exact de-. gree of tension-that is, the freedom of the movement of the needle-valve-may be readily regulated, and, the parts being a fixture, there is no danger or liability of dropping out and being lost or injured when opening the pen for filling or other purpose.

The end of the needle being tipped with iridi- 9 4 esmeoc um, iridium alloy, or some such hard non-wearing surface, no adjustment for the wear of the needle at the point is necessary; but, the airtube being made in two sections, this adjustment may be accomplished by lengthening the sections of air-tube one upon the other or screwing up and unscrewing the tube 1 upon the air-tube.

I make no claim to tipping or pointing the needle with iridium, to the air-tube extending down or terminating near the lower end of the pen, nor the airtube made in two independent sections, as these features are covered by the patents granted to Duncan Mackinnon, upon which this invention is an improvement; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the tube 1, the needle valve G c, fitting loosely within said tube, and provided with a stop, 0, to limit its backward movement, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination and arrangement of airtube B, tube or cylinder 1, provided with small hole 2 at its bottom, needle-valve G, with head 0 and stop 0, spring 3, and tension screw-plug or follower 4, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of September, 1879.

A. M. SUTHERLAND.

Witnesses:

WM. H. BRERETON, O. E. BRERETON. 

